“As I just love to do,” Stan commented one morning, “the other day I was talking with one of my neighbors about how he came to faith, how he lives his faith, and what motivates him in bringing others to the truth of salvation.”
“The power of personal testimony,” I replied. “Hearing about another person’s journey can have such a powerful impact. What’s your neighbor’s story?”
“As he put it,” Stan said, “it all revolves around rejoicing.”
“Rejoicing? In what way?”
“You can’t rejoice about something you don’t know about,” Stan replied. “With my neighbor, he said he didn’t know he had anything to rejoice about regarding God and what God had done until someone went out of the way to tell him.”
Continuing, he said, “Once my neighbor realized and accepted by faith God’s free and gracious provision of life eternally with Him when it’s time, he knew he had something to rejoice about. Until then, he didn’t.”
“Can’t rejoice in what you don’t know,” I commented.
“Exactly,” Stan replied. “And it’s the same with being able to rejoice in knowing God the Father and Jesus the Son in an ever-deepening personal relationship. If you don’t know that it’s available, you can’t rejoice in it.”
“So that others may have the opportunity to rejoice,” Stan added, “is what my neighbor said motivates him in spreading the truth of the gospel and in encouraging others in their faith walk. He says he knows how much he rejoices, and he wants the same for everyone else.”
“But not everyone is going to rejoice in that,” I replied.
“That’s likely true,” Stan replied, “but why not give them the opportunity to choose? If they don’t know, they don’t have a chance!”
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Bible verses to consider:
My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. Luke 1:46-47.
And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice! Philippians 4:4.
But the fruit of the Spirit is . . . joy . . . . Galatians 5:22.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your free and gracious gift of salvation and redemption in which I can and do rejoice. Thank you that such rejoicing is available to all who accept your provision by faith. I confess that too often I do not make known the fact that such rejoicing is available and, as a consequence, there are many people who do not rejoice in you and in your provision. Please help me follow every step of your lead in making known the opportunity to be filled with joy and with rejoicing. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Do you rejoice in God’s free and gracious gift of salvation and redemption because you have accepted that gift by faith? If you have not accepted it, why? What is in the way? If you do have the assurance of salvation, do you rejoice in being able to have an ever-deepening personal relationship with God in Christ? If no, why? How are you doing in telling others about the availability of rejoicing in God and His provision? If not as well as you sense you should, what can be done about that? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 